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Peer Mediation in Middle
Schools
Links:
| Frederick Joel, and Maruyama
Geoffrey. (1996) Peer Mediation Programs: Benefits and Key
Elements. Research / Practice: Center for Applied Research and
Educational Improvement University of Minnesota, Volume 4 (Number
3). 3/29/02,
http://education.umn.edu/CAREI/Reports/
Rpractice/Fall96/programs.htm |
 This
web site does an excellent job explaining what peer mediation is,
how to implement the program, and how the school can benefit from
the program. The site talks about how important it is to teach
students valuable lessons about decision making, perspective
taking, and communication. A major goal most middle schools have
is to prepare all students to achieve in high levels as to become
life long learners. The outcomes of peer mediation are to teach
students lessons they will need as life long learners. This is a
way for students to direct instruction and model to other students
good communication skills.
The site also discusses how important diversity is. It is
important for all middle schools to embrace diversity and allow
students to learn from each other differences. The site encourages
all students to participate in mediation, and to use mediation to
help students overcome the problems they face with the difference. |
Trevaskis, David Keller. (1994).
Mediation in the Schools. ERIC Digest, ED378108. 3/29/02, http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/
ed378108.html |
This is a useful web site if a middle
school has already decided the peer mediation will work for their
school. It includes a check list which is very detailed and
provides a step-by-step description on how to put the program in
place. This is a good way for the staff to know what is going on
in the school around them. If you are not directly part of the
peer mediation team you can still understand the steps taken and
the out comes of each step. As a middle school teacher it is
important to be supportive of all the children in all of your
classes. This is a way to follow along with the process of those
who are participating in the program. |
| Cohen, Richard. Implementing a Peer
Mediation Program. Reaserch and Evaluation Report by Conflict
Resolution Education Network (CRENet). 3/29/02, http://www.crenet.org/Research/peer.htm |
This web site looks deeply into the
program and explains why it is important, what it takes to start
the program, obstacles that can be encountered, and how to know if
peer mediation is working for your school. It clearly shows both
the positive and negative issues of peer mediation. It is
important for all middle schools to try new programs and to
continuously check the progress of the program. If peer mediation
is not benefiting the students in the school then it is a waste of
time and energy by both the staff and students. It will not help
the middle school provide a safe and healthy environment.
It is important to include the students in this process as much
as possible. Allow them to take responsibility and solve the
obstacles that stand in the way. They can prepare a presentation
to give the school board, or as a school assembly to help get
support for the program. They can also fund raise to help
financially support the program. It is important for students in a
middle school to participate and take responsibility instead of
letting an adult do all the ground work. This will teach them
lessons that will help them become life long learners.
It is also possible to include parents and out side volunteers
in the program. They can over see the students and help bring peer
mediation program to life. Middle school children need to interact
with adults and learn how to survive in an adult world. They need
recognition and approval from all adults around them, not just
teachers. |
Middle School Partnership. (1999)
Path to Peaceful Conflict Resolution: Peer Mediation at Dolan
Middle School. 3/29/02,
http://www.middleschool.com/ |
This web site was created by Dolan
Middle School as an example of how peer mediation works in a
middle school. They have been working on their peer mediation
system for seven years and want to share their accomplishments
with other educators who have similar goals. This web site also
provides contact information for any one who would like to start a
peer mediation program and would like more information.
This site really shows how peer mediation fits into a middle
school philosophy where the children’s needs come first. It
explains how the children in their school are benefiting from the
program and how the community as a whole is benefiting from the
children learning how to communicate and take care of their
problems on their own. The teacher is left with more time to teach
the children and work with the children then taking care of
arguments. |
No Author. (June-August 1995).
Playing it Safe in School Safety Programs. Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory, Vol. VIII (Issue 2). 3/29/02,http://www.sedl.org/pubs/sedletter/
v08n2/safe.html |
This web site evaluates new violence
prevention techniques with the goal of showing educators not all
programs actually meet the outcomes they promise. The site
discusses particularly how peer mediation is a new technique and
its efficacy has not yet been proven. The site
gives questions that educators should ask before attempting any
new program.
Middle schools should provide a safe and healthy
environment, and peer mediation should help reduce situational and
interpersonal violence. If the program does not work or it is not
put in place correctly the program goals will not be meant. It is
important to be sure the program works and this is what this site
is designed to help with. All middle schools should want to create
a caring and intellectual climate and peer mediation should help
this process not hurt it. It should help increase teacher/student
and student/student relationships which is very important to
students 10-14 years old. |
Books:
| Robinson, T. Rowand, Stephen W. Smith & Ann
P. Daunic. (May 2000). Middle School Students’ Views on the
Social Validity of Peer Mediation. Middle School Journal,
Volume 31 Number 5. 23- 29 |
| Guanci, John A. (Feb. 2002). Peer Mediation: A
Winning Solution to Conflict Resolution. Education Digest,
Volume 67 Number 6. 26-33 |
| Thompson Leslie, (0ct. 97) Building a Safer
School Through Conflict Resolution Programs. Classroom
Leadership, School as Safe Heavens, Volume 1 Number 2 |
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